(Untitled)

[dontlooklisten]

"All right, all right, all right, I'll get the-"

The door opens on a darkened closet in an office somewhere, and on a man who's suddenly standing very still. After a few blinks he says, "Bish? Can you hear me?"

No answer.

"Huh boy," says Whistler, but he doesn't sound all that unhappy. He just fumbles around on the far side of the door until he

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[md_donighal]

He hears a familiar voice. "Whistler! Long time no see, if you'll pardon the expression!"

[dontlooklisten]

"Yeah, funny thing about that," says Whistler, turning his head in the general direction of the speaker. "Every time it was my turn to get something out of the supply closet, something else came up. That's usually how I wind up getting here." He grins crookedly. "So what'd I miss?"

[md_donighal]

"Body-swapping curry for April Fools' Day, amnesia apples for Midsummer Eve, and gender-swapping mints a couple weeks ago. Were you here for the tofu? I still have a moment's hesitation when I order food from Bar, lest something unrequested show up on my plate."

[dontlooklisten]

There's a distinct twitch to Whistler's nager that only shows up a tiny bit in his face. "Yeah," he says, "yeah, I was here for that. It really wasn't my idea of fun." Then he pauses. "Gender-swapping? Really? Huh. I know some guys down in the Castro who'd be interested in those."

[sime_channel]

Jingle-jingle-jingle! Then a hug, because he needs one right? It's been hours, right? Right.

[dontlooklisten]

Whistler grins. "Hi, Suzi," he says, getting his arms around her and tucking his chin on top of her head. "They just couldn't keep me out of the closet any more."

[sime_channel]

"That's you." Suzi agrees, "Always hiding in closets to scare people. It's good to see you, Whistler. You've needed a break."

[dontlooklisten]

"I was that obvious, huh?" says Whistler wryly, although he knows perfectly well that pretty nearly everything is that obvious to Suzi. "Okay, well- point me at a table or something. It sounds wrong in here tonight. I gotta listen to the walls."

[snap_time]

This time, the bar caught Larry after his shift. But that's okay, since he can get some coffee and make sure he's still awake enough to get home.
Anyway, he's chilling with his coffee at a table near the door, and the latest entry catches his attention. "I... didn't know there was a sound system to fool with."

[dontlooklisten]

"There'd better be. I spent three weeks installing the damn thing." Whistler's only paying half his usual attention to the source of the voice; he's got to stick his cane under his arm and pat down six or seven vest and pants pockets before- "Okay. There we go."

He pulls out a grey-and-brown remote and hits four buttons in sequence. And from speakers hidden in numerous places around the Bar, among the rafters and on the walls, comes the sound of the Clash playing "Rock the Casbah".

"Okay. Much better."

[snap_time]

".......Nice. I've only been in here a few times - I guess nobody had it on when I was."
But still. Sound system. Clearly, this guy knows his acoustics (and it looks like he's got good reason to).

[dontlooklisten]

Whistler grins crookedly. "Thanks," he says. "It could sound a heck of a lot better if SOMEONE didn't keep moving the WALLS on me."

This is aimed in the general direction of the Bar, which quite naturally does not answer.

[mysterysim]

"Tuneva!"

Accusation? No. Admission? No! Bella's just remarkably happy to be here. She was on her way to work, and look where she ended up! This is much better than work.

[dontlooklisten]

"Excuse me?" says Whistler, turning in the direction of the cheerful exclamation. "I don't think I quite got that."

[mysterysim]

"I greeted you!" Bella is her usual warm, enthusiastic self. "I wasn't going to talk to anyone. I was going to go dance and then juggle tumblers at the bar. But I saw you and I wanted to talk! And now here we are, Erwin."

Whistler is then granted the joke about the flag and the pop singer.

[dontlooklisten]

Whistler blinks, eyes wide, but pointed in completely the wrong direction. "You know my real name?" he says warily. "Where did you get my real name from?"

Fortunately, it is an excellent joke! Whistler has no idea why he has the urge to clap both his hands together and all but double over grinning, but he surely does!